Elections

Two Democrats and a Republican are competing in the August primary for the state Senate seat. Also on the ballot are candidates for Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney, Public Utility District and Whatcom County Council along with legislative districts.

For the first time since 1975, Whatcom County will have a new top prosecutor. Prosecuting attorney Dave McEachran, who has tried some of the county's biggest cases and has set legal precedents, is retiring.

Poor funding, a big push for online responses and a potential question about citizenship could mean huge undercounts for rural Southerners in the 2020 Census. An inaccurate count would leave areas already hurting for federal assistance even worse off.

Residents in the Bellingham and Mount Baker school districts have until Monday to register to vote or change their address if they want to vote in upcoming special elections seeking more money for school facilities.

The early exit on Friday of Andrea Ramsey, a leading Democratic candidate in a key congressional race – a woman backed by the deep pockets of liberal Emily’s List – underscores both how unprepared these new candidates are for the unforgiving political scrutiny of a battleground campaign and the difficulty of fully vetting so many recruits.

Democratic leaders say this week’s shock victories, headlined by gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam’s attention-grabbing nine-point win in Virginia, are making them reconsider the 2018 midterm elections, convinced the party should grow more ambitious amid a backlash to President Donald Trump.

For Republicans, Tuesday’s results across the country were a reminder that Democrats are capable of translating liberal anti-Trump energy into actual votes. It was evidence of the environmental perils that often await a president’s party in the midterm elections—especially when that president has historically low approval ratings.